Chinese temple architecture
 | This articlerelies largely or entirely on asingle source.(August 2017) |
Chinese temple architecturerefer to a type of structures used as place of worship ofChinese Buddhism,Taoism,Confucianism,orChinese folk religion,where people revere ethnic Chinese gods and ancestors. They can be classified as:
- miào(Miếu) ordiàn(Điện), simply means "temple" and mostly enshrinesgods of the Chinese pantheon,such as theDragon King,TudigongorMatsu;or mythical or historical figures, such asGuandiorShennong.
- cí(Từ),cítáng(Từ đường),zōngcí(Từ đường) orzǔmiào(Tổ miếu), referring toancestral temples,mostly enshrining the ancestral gods of a family or clan.
- Taoist templesandmonasteries:XemguànorĐạo quandàoguàn;and
- Chinese Buddhisttemples and monasteries:ChùasìorChùa chiềnsìyuàn
- Temple of Confuciuswhich usually functions as both temple and town school:Văn miếuwénmiàoorKhổng miếukŏngmiào.
- Temples ofCity God(Miếu Thành Hoàng), which worships the patron God of a village, town or a city.
- Smaller household shrines or votive niche, such as the worship ofZaoshenandCaishen.
Gōng(Cung), meaning "palace"is a term used for a templar complex of multiple buildings, whileyuàn(Viện), meaning "institution," is a generic term meaning "sanctuary"or"shrine".Táng ( đường ) means courtyard or room, and ān ( am ) means dome or nunnery.
Overview[edit]
Shen temples are distinct fromTaoist templesin that they are established and administered by localmanagers,village communities, lineage congregations and worship associations. They don't have professionalpriests,althoughTaoist priests,fashi,Confucianlisheng,and alsowuandtongjishamans, may perform services within the temples.Shenisttemples are usually small and decorated with traditional figures on their roofs (dragons and deities), although some evolve into significant structures.
Chinese temples can be found throughoutMainland ChinaandTaiwan,and also whereChinese expatriatecommunities have settled. An old name in English for Chinese traditional temples is "joss house".[1]"Joss" is an Anglicized spelling ofdeus,the Portuguese word for "god". The term "joss house" was in common use in English in the nineteenth century, for example in North America duringfrontiertimes, when joss houses were a common feature ofChinatowns.The name "joss house" describes the environment of worship.Joss sticks,a kind ofincense,are burned inside and outside of the temple.
See also[edit]
- Jingxiang
- Taoist temple
- Confucian temple
- Chinese ritual mastery traditions
- Chinese folk religion
- Chinese folk religion in Southeast Asia
- List of Mazu temples
- List of City God Temples in China
- List of temples in Taichung,Taiwan
- Tin Hau temples in Hong Kong
- Kwan Tai temples in Hong Kong
- Chinese temples in Kolkata
References[edit]
- ^R., J (Supercargo) (1822).Diary of a journey overland, through the Maritime Provinces of China from Manchao, on the south coast of Hainan, to Canton in the years 1819 and 1820.Sir Richard Philips & Co.
External links[edit]
- China Ancestral Temples Network(archived 2 May 2014)
- Chinese Temples in Penang